His Sweet Pea
by kazumigirl
Summary: Despereaux is madly in love with Pea, and decides the only way they can be together is if they are the same. His new adventure is just on the horizon-he must become human! Based off of the book, but visualized as the film characters. R & R please!


**His Sweet Pea**

**Author's Note: I recently read **_**The Tale of Despereaux**_**,**** and I'm so hyped up about the movie now. Since I have not seen the movie yet, I've based this fic off of the book, but probably like many do, I picture the characters the way they are portrayed in the film. Have fun, and please review! The continuation of this fic depends on the popularity of it.**

Despereaux loved stories. Not only did he love them, but after becoming a hero both in the eyes of his fellow rodents _and_ humans, he had taught others to love them as well. When mice asked him how he became so brave, he simply replied, "books".

This made the other mice want to read. They wanted to read, to learn to be brave, to be heroes. The rats read them as well. They also wanted to be brave, to be heroes, to have a new image. The humans, who already read books, read more. If a mouse, abnormally small in size to begin with, could learn to be a hero through the power of literature, then the possibilities for a an average-sized person were endless.

Despereaux himself, didn't read as many adventurous stories anymore. He still sprawled out on his belly on the pages of books, lost in their words, his imagination in a whirlwind of color and sounds. He still ignored his growling stomach when it was time for dinner if he was still at a good part in his story. The only difference from before his greatest adventure (so far), was that he read love stories. Reader, I tell you, Despereaux was in love. He was madly in love, head over heels in love, hit by cupid's arrow in love, and he couldn't get enough of it. He couldn't get enough of _her_. The kind and gentle Pea.

Of course, he had been told by his family and friends, and even the Pea herself, that humans and mice couldn't love that way, but Despereaux couldn't help himself. He loved Pea, and wasn't sure he could ever stop. He felt he was her knight, and she was his princess. He didn't understand. In all of his stories, the brave knight always rescued the beautiful princess, and they got married and lived happily ever after. Despereaux had rescued the beautiful princess, and of course she had been grateful, and she spent time with him. They read books together, sometimes long into the night by dim candlelight, the Pea's soft voice gliding through the pages, sometimes so soft and quiet, Despereaux would drift off into sleep. They took walks together, packing picnic lunches and eating under thick oat trees, watching the clouds through the green leaves. They did so many things together, and yet, Despereaux didn't feel it was a real 'happily ever after'. He wanted more. He wanted to be more than just the friendly, heroic knight. He wanted to be Pea's only knight.

-----

_So long as men can breath, or eyes can see_, Despereaux read one afternoon, his stubby tail wagging slightly. _So long lives this, and this gives life to thee_.

It was beautiful. Of course, it was Shakespeare, and Shakespeare's work was beautiful in itself, but his stories and poems about love were something else. The little mouse fantasized that the poet had written these things for him, written _about_ him even. He sighed heavily, and turned the page. He had been reading various love poems all day, and each one brought an image of Pea to his mind. Her honey blonde curls, her soft voice, her clear blue eyes, her gentle laugh…

"Despereaux?" Speaking of that laugh-Despereaux raised his head and looked around. He finally spotted the Pea, crouching down on her knees, her hands resting on the table, perfect eye level with her small knight. "I thought I might find you here."

"You were looking for me?" The mouse's heart fluttered.

"Everyone is looking for you," Pea explained. "Did you forget what day it is?" She smiled sweetly, her eyes glittering.

Despereaux thought about it. What day could it possibly be? It was a lazy, late summer day, no parades in the street, no special clothing on the humans. He scratched under his hat as he sorted the possibilities in his mind. The Pea laughed again and touched his nose with her index finger. "Silly," she chuckled. "It's your birthday."

His birthday? Despereaux hadn't remembered at all. It made sense, though. He had never actually celebrated his birthday before. Of course, before his title of hero, his birth had never really been much to celebrate. His whiskers twitched in confusion, and Pea held out her hand. "Come on," she coaxed. "We've prepared a big feast in your honor."

" 'Feast'?" Despereaux climbed into her hand and looked at her. "For me?"

"Everyone in the castle's invited, humans, mice, and rats alike," Pea said, standing up. "We intended to keep it a secret all day, and it must have worked." She nudged his cheek with her finger. "You seem baffled."

He was. Reader, I tell you, Despereaux, in a million years, would have never expected a feast in his honor, let alone organized by a princess. He swelled with pride and joy, and suddenly felt his heart beat speed up. The princess, _his_ princess, had remembered his birthday.

----

Despereaux had never seen so much food in his life. An assortment of fruits, vegetables, breads, cheeses, and of course, soup. A lot of soup. Every member of the castle had shown up, including the rodent population. Despereaux sat at a special table with Pea, and before they ate, she toasted the mouse, his bravery, his being a gentlemen, and wished him many wonderful years. Everyone applauded, but Despereaux hardly noticed. He stared at Pea, his cheeks burning. When she sat back down again, she scooped him up in her hands and said softly, "Happy birthday, my gentlemen." She kissed his forehead.

----

" 'And one with our heart, the stealthy creeping years have lost their terrors now, we shall not die' ", Despereaux read to the Pea that night as she yawned slightly. They were in her bed, a candle lit nearby, a book opened on the princess's lap. " 'The universe itself shall be our immortality' ". He sighed when he finished, and looked over at Pea, who had fallen asleep. He smiled slightly, softly scurried over her sleeping figure, over to the end table and raised the thimble to put out the candle. Once the flame was gone, only the moonlight illuminated light, resting gingerly on the princess's face. She was lovely in the silvery shade, and Despereaux crawled over to her face. His heart pounded, his legs shook. He had to know. He just had to know. Biting his bottom lip slightly, he swallowed hard and lowered himself over her face. Very slowly, he pressed his lips to hers, and feelings flooded through him. Feelings stronger than his poems and stories. He loved the princess, and that was that.

Despereaux lay awake in his own bed that night, thinking about what he had done, what he had felt. He was famous in the kingdom of Dor, he was loved and adored everywhere, and was the princess's best friend. It wasn't enough. He wanted more. He wanted to be more. He wanted Pea to love him like he did her. She had told him a mouse and a human could not love that way because of what they were, not who they were. Shakespeare had written, "A rose by any other name would smell just as sweet". Would the idea be the same for a mouse? He knew magic existed in the world, it was always used in books. His next adventure was on the horizon. In order for him and Pea to be together, they would have to be the same. He would have to be human.

To Be Continued…


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